Category: 3/4
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The Light Between Oceans [2016] ★★★
Filmmaker Derek Cianfrance has already proven himself so many times with movies like “Blue Valentine” and “The Place Beyond The Pines”. Here’s a director who knows exactly how to tell a story, and his latest effort, “The Light Between Oceans”, is completely immersive. It charts the destiny of a couple, played by Michael Fassbender and…
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Sully [2016] ★★★
“Sully” marks the first time director Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks have ever worked together on a film, so naturally, expectations were more or less high. The result is superior moviemaking, and a powerfully emotional experience from start to finish. Based on a true story that happened on January 15 2009, the movie focuses on Captain…
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Genius [2016] ★★★
Genius doesn’t even begin to describe Jude Law’s performance as Thomas Wolfe, the American writer whose manuscripts were rejected by many publishers in New York in the 1920’s, before his unlikely partnership with editor Maxwell Perkins (Colin Firth, in fine form) led to critically acclaimed books. Law’s performance is all the more impressive because of…
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The Secret Life Of Pets [2016] ★★★
Ever wondered what your pets do when you leave the house? The people behind “The Secrets Life of Pets” have got it all figured out. Some listen to loud music while others invite their friends over for a fun-filled day. For Max the dog (voiced by Louis C.K), his quiet life is disrupted when his…
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Don’t Breathe [2016] ★★★
From the trailer and the poster you would think this is (God forbid) yet another slasher film. It’s not. Instead, it’s a cross between “Wait Until Dark” starring Audrey Hepburn and David Fincher’s underrated “Panic Room”. The result? A thriller that pumps out suspense from the word go. The premise is simple: three clumsy burglars decide…
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Lights Out [2016] ★★★
There’s one simple, yet spine-tingling scene that reminded me of a 1940 detective movie called “Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum”. In that movie, Chan and a group of people find themselves trapped in a wax museum one rainy night with a killer on the loose. In “Lights Out”, Theresa Palmer and her kid brother…
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War Dogs [2016] ★★★
A cross between “Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Hangover”, “War Dogs” arrives to theaters with no particular expectations, and that’s probably a good thing. Good, because, despite its familiar premise, the movie is highly entertaining. Director Todd Phillips has been itching for a comeback after a series of disappointing films, and “War Dogs”…
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The BFG [2016] ★★★
A lot has been said about Steven Spielberg’s version of Road Dahl’s beloved 1982 novel, ever since it was screened at this year’s Cannes festival. Now that it’s finally here, kids and adults alike can enjoy what this magical film has to offer, from first rate special effects to unforgettable characters. In telling the story…
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Star Trek: Beyond [2016] ★★★
It’s not “Into Darkness” or the classic “The Wrath of Khan”, but producer J.J Abrams and his collaborators have managed to pull off the impossible by delivering yet another spectacular entry in the Star Trek franchise. “Beyond” , once again starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto (who both continue to impress) as well as Zoe Saldana, Simon…
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Captain Fantastic [2016] ★★★
In a summer filled with lousy remakes and crappy aliens (I’m looking at you, “Independence Day”), it’s refreshing to encounter a movie as original as “Captain Fantastic”. It’s one of my favorite movies of the season. Viggo Mortensen is a standout, playing a devoted father who lives with his six young children deep in the…
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The Legend Of Tarzan [2016] ★★★
As far as summer blockbusters go, “The Legend of Tarzan” is a fun ride from start to finish. I didn’t expect a work of genius, mainly because this is familiar territory for anyone who has seen at least one Tarzan film before. And yet, the filmmakers have a few new ideas up their sleeves. They’ve reintroduced…
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The Nice Guys [2016] ★★★
It’s not “LA Confidential”, but “The Nice Guys” is smart, funny and a treat to watch. Detective movies have been around for a very long time that it’s bracing to still find one with the smarts to laugh at itself, not to mention the 1970’s recreation that is so remarkably good, from costuming to the…
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![Me Before You [2016] ★★★](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/me-before-you-movie-poster.jpg?w=1024)
Me Before You [2016] ★★★
Formulaic as though it may be, “Me Before You” is filled with a sweet spirit and engagingly likable characters, which makes it almost hard to resist. Game of Thrones’s Emilia Clarke transforms herself completely, playing a small town Englishwoman who gets hired to take care of a wealthy, paralyzed man, played by Sam Claflin. A cheesy love story…
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The Lobster [2015] ★★★
If there ever was a movie that defines modern day relationships, “The Lobster” would be it. And yet the movie, directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos with an incredible eye for detail, is set in a Dystopian future, where people must pick their partners within 45 days or they’re turned into an animal of their…
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The Jungle Book [2016] ★★★
I was no more than 10 years old when my grandfather bought me a VHS copy of the 1967 animated movie “The Jungle Book”. Needless to say, I fell in love with it and would revisit it whenever I had the chance (which was almost everyday at the time). Now Disney is turning this beloved…
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Eddie The Eagle [2016] ★★★
“Eddie the Eagle” is one of the nicest surprises of the year so far. It’s formulaic and unashamedly manipulative, but it’s played with sincerity by the entire cast and, against all odds, it works. It’s the true story of Michael “Eddie” Edwards, a Brit “athlete” with no particular talent, who went on to compete at the…
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![10 Cloverfield Lane [2016] ★★★](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/10c_1-sht_online_teaser_alt1.jpg?w=831)
10 Cloverfield Lane [2016] ★★★
I never thought I’d be reviewing a sequel to J.J Abrams’ 2008 surprise monster hit “Cloverfield”, but here we are. “10 Cloverfield Lane”, this time directed by Dan Trachtenberg has literally come out of nowhere. It was only back in January that the studio released a mysterious trailer announcing the movie. The reason? To keep…
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Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice [2016] ★★★
The wait is over. The superhero event of the year is finally here. “Batman V Superman” emerges as a blockbuster that is compelling, well crafted and perfectly cast. As someone who had no idea what to expect from Ben Affleck as the caped crusader, I now emit a huge sigh of relief. Without spoiling too much,…
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Eye In The Sky [2016] ★★★
Director Gavin Hood scores a bullseye in this moral debate on drone warfare that is both thought provoking and incredibly suspenseful. Helen Mirren is dynamite as a British army colonel ordering a U.S military drone to target a Somali terrorist organization. Sounds like a routine task? It isn’t. That’s because Alia, a young Kenyan girl,…
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Kung Fu Panda 3 [2016] ★★★
I watch every movie with a “3” in its title expecting the worst. But it seems that the people behind “Kung Fu Panda 3” have managed to break the curse. This sequel is as colorful and as entertaining as the previous installments and I couldn’t be happier to report that. Jack Black scores yet another…
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